Innate Soul Skill, Absorbing Spirit Rings Beyond One's Level (2)

Sunset Forest, Shen Tianchen's location.

"How is it, Xiao Chen? What level is your Soul Power at now? Logically, if you absorbed a Spirit Ring beyond your level, your Soul Power should have increased quite a bit, right?" Shen Tianchen answered truthfully, "Reporting to Teacher, my Soul Power has just reached level thirty-three."

Qianjun Douluo nodded upon hearing this. "Level thirty-three is quite good. Once you absorb your second and third Spirit Rings, you should be nearly level forty. A Soul Ancestor at six or seven years old—across the entire continent, perhaps not unprecedented, but certainly rare enough to be called without equal in ancient times. Let's go. We'll search for your second Spirit Ring."

The miasma on the western side of Sunset Forest curled around the gnarled branches of ancient trees like pale violet gauze. Qianjun Douluo walked steadily ahead, the Coiled Dragon Staff at his waist occasionally tapping the ground, each strike precisely crushing the Poison Thorn Vines lurking beneath the fallen leaves.

The dark golden dragon patterns embroidered on his black robes flickered in and out amid the dappled light. When he turned to look at the boy behind him, his brows drew together slightly. "Xiao Chen, steady your grip on that sword. The Sword Qi of the Dragon Abyss Sword is about to cut open your own palm."

Shen Tianchen hurriedly adjusted his grip. Drops of blood from his palm fell onto the scabbard of the Dragon Abyss Sword. The half-foot-long silver shortsword suddenly let out a soft cry, and the dragon-head pattern carved into its guard glimmered with a faint cyan light. "Teacher, I was only..."

Before he could finish, a low roar interrupted him. A giant tree a hundred meters away crashed down, and the gust it raised swept rotting leaves toward them.

"It's here." Qianjun Douluo shifted sideways to shield Shen Tianchen behind him. The Coiled Dragon Staff abruptly extended to over ten feet long, and the golden dragon phantom coiled around its body opened its enormous jaws.

"It's actually an Amethyst Earth Dragon. Our luck is truly good this time, to encounter such a mutated Soul Beast. This one has roughly three thousand years of cultivation, just right for your second Spirit Ring. Watch the Inverse Scale on its neck. That is its power core, and also the weakest point of Dragon-type Soul Beasts."

Shen Tianchen stared at the Soul Beast burrowing out of the ground. The Earth Dragon was covered from head to toe in scales like purple crystals. Its sickle-shaped foreclaws carved three deep trenches into the earth, and its emerald saliva produced white smoke the moment it dripped onto stone.

He took a deep breath. The Dragon Abyss Sword hummed as it left its sheath, and the "Violet Firmament Heavenly Thunder Sword" Soul Skill bestowed by his first Spirit Ring—the Thousand Year Violet Firmament Demonic Thunder Tiger—activated instantly. Lightning around him condensed into four thunder swords that shot straight toward the Earth Dragon's flank.

"Your sword strike is too hasty." Qianjun Douluo's voice carried through the crushing wind pressure. The Coiled Dragon Staff suddenly blocked the Earth Dragon's raised massive claw, and the metallic crash made Shen Tianchen's eardrums throb.

"The Amethyst Earth Dragon's scales are as hard as Mysterious Iron. Your thunder swords can at most inflict superficial wounds. Adjust your fighting style quickly."

Using the recoil, Shen Tianchen leaped backward, the Dragon Abyss Sword tracing a graceful arc in his palm. He remembered his teacher's instruction from the previous night. Although Dragon-type Weapon Martial Souls excelled at direct clashes, they also needed to use finesse to provoke backlash from an opponent's Soul Power.

He immediately tapped the ground with his toes, and the sword carved a half-arc of cyan light across the earth. Taking advantage of the opening as the Earth Dragon turned, he accurately thrust the tip into the soft membrane connecting its left foreclaw to its body.

The Amethyst Earth Dragon howled in pain and lashed its tail wildly. Qianjun Douluo spun into the air, the Coiled Dragon Staff drawing a golden arc as its end struck precisely against the protrusion at the center of the dragon's head. That seemingly fierce blow contained subtle force, actually choking the Earth Dragon's roar in its throat and dimming the purple crystal scales across its body by several degrees.

"Now!" Qianjun Douluo's roar carried a tremor of Soul Power. Shen Tianchen felt a warm current surge from his dantian to the hilt, and the Dragon Abyss Sword suddenly erupted with a ten-foot blaze of cyan light.

He recalled a sword technique from an online sword manual in his previous life. With a twist of his wrist, the blade pierced through the gap between the Earth Dragon's Inverse Scales, then he pulled it free and retreated at the very instant Qianjun Douluo's Coiled Dragon Staff swept across.

A Thousand Year Spirit Ring slowly rose from the Earth Dragon's body. The pale violet ring circulated with a gentle glow beneath the morning light. Shen Tianchen watched it gradually approach his brow.

Then Qianjun Douluo's voice sounded beside his ear. "Focus and sense it. This Amethyst Earth Dragon's armor-piercing power is compatible with the sharpness of your Sword Spirit. Do not waste such an opportunity."

Shen Tianchen immediately sat down and adjusted his Soul Power. He then summoned his second Martial Soul, the Life Divine Pearl, released Healing Divine Light, and began absorbing the Spirit Ring.

Just as before, images of the Amethyst Earth Dragon's movements while it was alive appeared in Shen Tianchen's mind. Although Mental Strength at this level could not compare to the soul shock of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, it was still enough to affect a Soul Master's soul.

Very soon, many bead-sized drops of sweat appeared on Shen Tianchen's forehead. He was clearly struggling greatly. Though Qianjun Douluo was somewhat anxious, there was nothing he could do. Absorbing Spirit Rings was inherently a test of a Soul Master's willpower, let alone absorbing one beyond his level. The risk could not be considered low.

When the Spirit Ring finally fused into his body, Shen Tianchen felt as though the Dragon Abyss Sword had come alive. The dragon-head pattern on the blade opened golden eyes.

He instinctively swung his sword. At once, the Dragon Abyss Sword burst forth with brilliant cyan radiance, and a three-foot-long slash of cyan light shot out. Wherever the light passed, waves of dragon roars followed. A boulder thirty feet away was sliced open like tofu, its cross-section still bearing fine scale-like marks. This was his second Soul Skill—Dragon Scale Split.

It was an incredibly powerful single-target piercing attack that could break through fifty percent of the opponent's physical defense. This move was quite useful against opponents of the same level, especially those who underestimated him.

Qianjun Douluo put away the Coiled Dragon Staff. Seeing the excited gleam in his disciple's eyes, a faint smile rarely touched his lips. "Your second Soul Skill, Dragon Scale Split, has decent attack power. But remember, no matter how sharp a sword strike is, if the heart is unstable, it is ultimately nothing more than scrap iron."

After walking for around half an hour, Shen Tianchen suddenly felt his Soul Power churn within him, as if countless tiny scales were swimming through his meridians. The stabbing sensation brought cold sweat to his forehead. He staggered and only barely kept his footing by planting the Dragon Abyss Sword into the ground, his voice trembling with pain. "Teacher, my Soul Power... seems to be out of control."

Qianjun Douluo immediately stopped and placed his fingers on Shen Tianchen's wrist pulse, his expression darkening. "A trace of Earth Element Tainted Qi is hidden within the Amethyst Earth Dragon's Soul Power. You were too eager for quick results and forcibly fused with it before fully refining it. Now it has nested in your meridians."

With a backhand motion, he drew out the Coiled Dragon Staff and used its tip to draw a golden formation pattern more than ten feet wide on the ground. "Sit cross-legged and slowly circulate your Soul Power. I will use Dragon Qi to guide it."

Shen Tianchen sat down as instructed. The moment he closed his eyes, he felt as though his dantian had been seared by red-hot iron. The pain nearly made him bite through his teeth.

Qianjun Douluo's Coiled Dragon Staff floated above his head. The golden dragon phantom on its body spiraled downward, transforming into a stream of golden energy that entered through Shen Tianchen's Baihui acupoint. Wherever that current passed, the earthy yellow Soul Power rampaging through his meridians seemed to encounter its nemesis and curled into clusters.

"Focus and visualize the Dragon Abyss Sword." Qianjun Douluo's voice carried unquestionable authority. Fine sweat beaded at his temples, clearly showing that maintaining the formation was draining him as well.

"Use the sharp Qi of your Sword Spirit to sever that tainted Qi. Remember, your sword can not only break armor—it can also cut through delusions."

Shen Tianchen clenched his teeth as the image of the Dragon Abyss Sword emerged in his mind. The blade became clearer and clearer within his consciousness. Cyan flames scorched the earthy yellow Soul Power, and every burn made his entire body convulse in agony.

He did not know how long passed. When the final thread of tainted Qi was refined, he suddenly opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of black blood. The Dragon Abyss Sword automatically flew back into his hand, the golden dragon-head pattern on its blade more lifelike than before.

"This is a test for you." Qianjun Douluo withdrew the formation, his face slightly pale.

"For a Soul Master, absorbing a Spirit Ring is never the end. It is the beginning of a struggle against the Soul Beast's power. If you cannot even endure this bit of pain, how will you face Ten-Thousand-Year and Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Rings in the future?"

Shen Tianchen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, rose to his feet, and gave a deep bow. "Thank you, Teacher, for saving my life. This disciple will remember your teachings."

He paused, suddenly recalling something. "Teacher, what you used just now was the Coiling Dragon Staff's Innate Dragon Qi, wasn't it? Will that damage the foundation of your Soul Power?"

Qianjun Douluo did not answer. He turned and continued onward. "Don't worry, it is nothing serious. Instead of wasting time on this, practice Dragon Scale Split a few more times. Ahead lies the inner region of Sunset Forest. The Soul Beasts there possess far stronger auras than the Amethyst Earth Dragon. Don't end up in the same state as before."

Shen Tianchen watched Qianjun Douluo's back and tightened his grip on the Dragon Abyss Sword. He knew that though his teacher spoke harshly, he had always been looking out for him.

That guidance just now had probably consumed a great deal of his teacher's Soul Power. Shen Tianchen took a deep breath, raised his sword, and followed. His steps were firmer than before.

After walking for another hour or so, an open valley appeared ahead. At its center was a pool of emerald water, with many white lotus flowers floating on its surface and releasing a faint fragrance.

On a rock beside the pool, a snow-white fox lay basking in the sun. Its nine fluffy tails covered its body like a quilt.

Yet Qianjun Douluo shook his head. "This fox may be good, but it is not suitable for you. Its Soul Power leans toward Illusion Techniques, which clashes with the forceful nature of your Dragon Abyss Sword.

"And look at its tails. The ninth has only just grown out, which means it only recently broke through the thousand-year mark. Its Soul Power is unstable, and its cultivation is lower than both of your first two Spirit Rings. Absorbing it would not help you much."

Before his words had faded, the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox abruptly opened its eyes, its pair of emerald pupils watching them warily.

It leaped into the air, its nine tails spreading out and transforming into nine white afterimages that lunged toward them.

"Watch out for its Illusion Technique!" Qianjun Douluo warned, but he showed no intention of acting, clearly intending to let Shen Tianchen handle it himself.

Shen Tianchen did not dare be careless. With a swing of the Dragon Abyss Sword, the "Violet Firmament Heavenly Thunder Sword" Soul Skill activated, and his figure instantly retreated several yards.

At the same time, he circulated his Soul Power and activated his second Soul Skill, Dragon Scale Split. A faint violet halo surfaced on the blade, a manifestation of the Amethyst Earth Dragon's Soul Power having fused with it.

Seeing its attack miss, the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox let out a sharp screech. Its nine tails simultaneously fired countless strands of white fox fur. Those hairs transformed into tiny foxes in midair, baring their claws and fangs as they pounced at Shen Tianchen.

"Tricks!" Shen Tianchen shouted. The Dragon Abyss Sword swept out a cyan arc in the air, Dragon Scale Split's power clinging to the blade as it sliced apart the little white foxes one after another.

But at that moment, he suddenly felt dizzy, and the scene before him began to twist.

Not good, it's an Illusion Technique! Shen Tianchen was startled and hurriedly bit the tip of his tongue. The intense pain cleared his mind somewhat.

He knew he could not let the illusion before him deceive him. Without continuing the fight, he turned and ran toward Qianjun Douluo.

Seeing this, the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox let out a smug screech. Its body flashed, and it blocked his path.

An eerie light flickered in its eyes. Shen Tianchen felt his mind go blank, as though he had fallen into a bottomless abyss.

At that moment, a streak of golden light suddenly shot over from the side and blasted the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox away. Qianjun Douluo had appeared beside Shen Tianchen at some point, the Coiled Dragon Staff in his hand emitting a faint golden glow.

"I told you to be wary of its Illusion Technique." Qianjun Douluo's tone held a trace of displeasure.

"Your Mental Strength is still too weak. A moment's carelessness is enough for you to fall victim to it. If I had not acted in time, you would already have become this fox's snack."

Qianjun Douluo sighed. "Forget it. You only just absorbed your second Spirit Ring, so it is normal for your Mental Strength to be depleted. We will spare this Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox for now. Once you are stronger, it will not be too late to settle the score with it."

With that, he turned and walked out of the valley. Shen Tianchen watched the direction in which the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox had vanished and tightened his grip on the Dragon Abyss Sword. I'm a transmigrator, after all. I must raise my strength as quickly as possible.

The master and disciple continued through Sunset Forest. Along the way, they encountered quite a few more Soul Beasts, but they resolved each encounter one by one.

Shen Tianchen's practical combat experience grew richer and richer, and his use of the two Soul Skills, Violet Firmament Heavenly Thunder Sword and Dragon Scale Split, became increasingly proficient. Qianjun Douluo watched it all and nodded to himself in approval.

Before they knew it, the sky gradually darkened. Nighttime in Sunset Forest was even more dangerous than daytime, as all kinds of nocturnal Soul Beasts began to stir.

Qianjun Douluo found a concealed cave and used the Coiled Dragon Staff to set up a simple defensive formation at its entrance. Then he said to Shen Tianchen, "We will rest here tonight. At daybreak tomorrow, we will continue searching for a Soul Beast suitable for your third Spirit Ring."

Shen Tianchen nodded and found a clean stone to sit on, beginning to recover his Soul Power. After a full day of battle, he had expended quite a bit and needed to recover as soon as possible.

Late at night, the roars of various Soul Beasts came from outside the cave, but all were blocked by the defensive formation. Shen Tianchen gradually entered a meditative state. The battles of the day replayed continuously in his mind as he reviewed the experience and lessons he had gained.

Qianjun Douluo leaned against the cave wall, watching Shen Tianchen's earnest expression. A gratified smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

He thought of his younger self. Back then, he had been just like Shen Tianchen, filled with curiosity and yearning for the world of Soul Masters, longing to become a powerful Soul Master.

Work hard, child, Qianjun Douluo silently said to himself. The future of Douluo Continent will ultimately belong to young people like you.